A Japanese court has dismissed a lawsuit that argued the country’s ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.

The ruling dealt a setback to LGBTQ rights activists in the only Group of Seven nation that does not allow people of the same gender to marry.

Japan’s constitution defines marriage as being based on “the mutual consent of both sexes”. Under the current rules in Japan, same-sex couples are not allowed to legally marry, they cannot inherit their partner’s assets – such as the house they may have shared – and also have no parental rights over their partner’s children.